1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image measuring system and methods of generating and executing a non-stop image measuring program, having a non-stop measurement mode for image measurement, in which an imaging means moves relative to a measuring object supported on a measurement stage and captures instantaneous image information at designated measurement positions without making a stop.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional CNC image measuring machine comprises a measurement stage, which is moved relative to an imaging means such as a CCD camera and stopped at a measurement position as shown in FIG. 12. Then, the amount of illuminating light is adjusted to acquire image information about a measuring object. To the acquired image information, image processing such as setting of a measuring tool and edge detection is applied, thereby executing a measurement at one measurement position. This measurement is repeated as Measurement 1, Measurement 2, . . . and so on for all measurement positions to achieve measurements at required positions (hereinafter, such the measurement mode is referred to as a “standard measurement mode”).
In contrast, for the purpose of improving the throughput of measurement, a measurement may be performed without making a stop of the measurement stage relative to the imaging means even at a measurement position in a measurement mode (hereinafter, such the measurement mode is referred to as a “non-stop measurement mode”). An image measuring machine having such the non-stop measurement mode has been proposed (see JP-A 2004-535587, paragraphs 0005-0006, FIG. 2). This image measuring machine irradiates the measuring object with strobe illumination, as shown in FIG. 13, without making a stop of the measurement stage at measurement positions. Alternatively, it captures instantaneous image information imaged using a shuttered CCD camera, for image measurement. In the non-stop measurement mode, when the relation between the movement speed of the stage and the strobe pulse width is appropriately set, a faster measurement can be achieved as an effect, without lowering the measurement accuracy much.
In the conventional image measuring machine operative in the standard measurement mode, on teaching to generate a part program for measurement, the measurement stage is manually moved to a measurement position, followed by an illumination adjustment. Then, a measurement instruction is given to set the measurement position and the illumination condition.
In the above-described non-stop measurement mode, however, image information is captured as strobe-imaged while the measurement stage is kept moving relative to the imaging means at a measurement position. Accordingly, the conventional teaching method in the standard measurement mode that makes a stop at each measurement position for the illumination adjustment can not be applied to the non-stop measurement mode as it is. This is a problem.
The present invention has been made in consideration of such the problem and has an object to provide an image measuring system and methods of generating and executing a non-stop image measuring program, capable of generating or executing a measuring program in the non-stop measurement mode with a teaching method similar to the conventional one.